 Are you an a** for reclining in your seat on an airplane? Recliners may be vilified, but they aren't without reason. The C-shape of airline seats are not your back's best friend, and when you recline them it moves the gravitational pressure from your spine to the seat back, which makes the experience a lot less uncomfortable. But the anti-recline camp has a different struggle. Some airlines not only give you a measly 28 inches of leg room, not great if you're tall. And when it's showtime, it's not great to have your tray poking under your gut and being hunched over like Gollum when you're trying to eat. The reality is, either way, someone is uncomfortable, and with airlines designing cabins with less space between seats to fit more rows and less padding to reduce weight. It's only getting worse on both sides. Our suggestion? If you recline, do so thoughtfully, and maybe recline just enough to take the pressure off. Anyway, you shouldn't be angry at the person in front or behind you. You should be angry at the airlines for climbing us together like sardines in a can.